Better Business Bureau Says Think Before You Text A Donation

By

Jonnelle Marte

Jan 14, 2010 6:50 pm ET

Since the devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti Tuesday afternoon, big names from musician Wyclef Jean to the American Red Cross have been encouraging people to donate to relief efforts via text message.

Associated Press

A passerby donates a twenty dollar bill to the Haitian earthquake relief donation drive held by the University of Florida club.

By texting a key phrase to a specific number, people can opt to have donations—typically of $5 or $10—tacked on to their cell phone bills, allowing them donate without having to write a check or pull out a credit card.

Thousands of Americans have keyed in donations. The Red Cross, for example, reported that the mobile efforts had raised more than $3 million by Thursday morning, thanks to contributions from several hundred thousand people.

But while the method of donating is convenient, donors should still do their research before putting down cash, warns the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance. They haven’t received complaints about texting donation scams yet, but the BBB says consumers should still do their due diligence.

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com.